Juniper leaned on the counter of Asra's shop, their eyes fixed on their cousin.
"So, you're back together with him?"
Niko wiggled where he stood, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation.
"It's not like I planned it!"
Juniper sighed and pushed themselves away from the counter, strands of blonde hair tumbling around their face and shoulders. It had been several months now since the masquerade and what should have been spring was now an odd mix of winter and summer. Typical for a region with a hotter climate. Today was one of the more summery days, the heat bordering on uncomfortably warm, because of this Juniper had left the door to the shop open. A mistake. Standing in the doorway was someone both Juniper and Niko were all too familiar with.
"Consul." Juniper greeted in a less than cheerful tone. Valerius looked over Juniper with disinterest, his ever-present resting bitch face examining the rest of the shop with mild contempt.
"I'm here for the witch."
Niko flinched. Juniper flashed an overenthusiastic smile.
"Which one, consul?"
Valerius folded his arms, evidently not amused with Juniper's behavior.
"The one who is sleeping with the count for coin."
Juniper's fists clenched, and their normally sparkling green eyes darkened with anger. Niko felt the air become stagnant in a matter of seconds, the lamplight dimming dramatically.
"Leave. Now."
Valerius sneered and turned to leave, but he bumped into Julian before making his way out.
"Doctor."
"Consul."
Valerius shoved past him and Julian glared at him along with Juniper. As he turned back to face the shop proper, he saw Juniper rounding the counter to comfort Niko who was visibly distressed, on the verge of tears.
"Illyrian." They said softly, petting his hair away from his face and holding his cheeks, looking him directly in the eye with obvious concern.
"I don't want people to know that," His shoulders were shaking as he began sobbing, "It never even happened, I never..." Niko covered his face with his hands. Juniper shushed him and pulled him into their arms, gently rubbing his back.
"I know." They said quietly as Julian shut the door, returning their privacy. He shuffled around them, letting the cousins have their moment.
"All I'm saying is Lucio isn't particularly fond of those who are rude to his partners."
Juniper chuckled and glanced over at Julian, who was now busy taking off his coat and gloves. From somewhere in the kitchen there was a disgusted grunt.
"Hush, Asra," Juniper responded. Niko smiled, albeit weakly, and wiped his eyes. The mild dysfunctionality of the shop often reminded him of home, so it was a place of comfort when things got overwhelming. He squirmed away from Juni's arms and shook his head a little to collect himself. Surveying the room, he decided it was probably time for him to head out.
"Leaving?" Asra asked from the archway of the kitchen.
"Yeah, he's no doubt worried... I kinda left without saying anything."
Juniper nodded and took Niko's face in their hands once again gently placing a kiss on his forehead.
"I love you and I am always here for you, Illyrian." They let go of him and after a quick round of goodbyes, Niko made his way out of the shop and back into the streets of Vesuvia on his trek back to the palace.
When he finally returned he heard a commotion coming from somewhere within the polished stone halls. Despite the wideness of the halls, sound did not carry well except for muffled noises. The sound, though, he could recognize the sound of Lucio's voice anywhere. And from the tonality of it, he was mad. Hurriedly—yet cautiously—Niko ventured through the halls, following the voice. Without warning, there was a sudden cacophony as something smashed into the ground and broke. Followed by more shouting which was growing louder. Rounding the corner, he was greeted by Mercedes and Melchior bounding up to him and stopping his progress. Their hackles were raised, but their teeth were not bared. This was more of a protective stance than an aggressive one. Lucio's eyes immediately followed his dogs and the moment his eyes landed on Niko the anger vanished from his face.
"Illyrian," He attempted to close the gap between them, but Mercedes and Melchior stood in his way, not allowing him to come closer. He stopped, eyeing them both with mild annoyance, "Thank the Gods, you're alright."
Niko glanced between Lucio and the very uncomfortable, very scared guard.
"Uh... hi?"
Lucio flicked his hand dismissively and the guard practically sprinted away from Lucio's presence. The two dogs, however; remained firmly planted at Niko's feet, teeth bared slightly.
"I'm not going to hurt him." Lucio furrowed his brows, unamused with his dogs' antics. They scrutinized him thoroughly, further irritating him, but eventually, they stepped aside to let Lucio in. Quickly, he stepped forward, pulling Niko into a tight embrace. Niko's cheeks darkened with color as he nuzzled into Lucio's chest, enjoying the sensation of being in his lovers' arms. Their relationship was unsteady at times and often Lucio's arrogance clashed with Niko's pride, but it was clear that Lucio undeniably loved and cared for Niko and Niko for him. With a gentle squeeze, Lucio released him from his arms and looked down at him, examining his flushed cheeks with a grin.
"You broke one of your favorite portraits," Niko commented, looking past him to redirect the situation.
"It wouldn't have happened had the guards not been incompetent."
Niko looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. He didn't buy it and Lucio knew it.
"Had nothing to do with your temper, huh?"
Lucio, in a rare moment, shied away from Niko after he indirectly reprimanded him. He stood beside him now, frame slightly rigid as if he were trying to mask embarrassment. This wasn't the first, nor the last time Niko would put him in his place and he knew it—despite his arrogance and a devil-may-care attitude—Niko had a very distinct way of making him feel the repercussions of his behavior.
"I heard Valerius had left shortly after you did and I..." Lucio trailed off, his jaw setting as anger rose up in his chest once again. Unquestionably uncomfortable at the mention of Valerius, Niko walked away from Lucio towards the broken portrait. The reason the very mention of Valerius put Niko on edge was that they had an... encounter when Niko had been "working" on the streets of upper-class Vesuvia. From that, Valerius had developed an unusual fixation with Niko that only seemed amplified by the fact that Niko was—to Valerius—Count Lucio's new pet.
"He stopped by Asra's shop, yes."
Lucio's eyes narrowed, umbrage pooling in his silver irises as he clenched his fists. Turning, Niko leveled Lucio with a look that would make anyone else's blood run cold. He had never been afraid of Lucio or his outbursts and he certainly wasn't going to put up with any of his bullshit tonight.
"Enough." Was all that was spoken, and Lucio relaxed, albeit slowly. He walked up beside him once again, both now looking at the broken portrait.
"I'm sorry," Lucio said quietly, and if Niko had known any better he would have sworn Lucio was talking to him. He wasn't though, instead he was apologizing to the portrait, "I loved you so much..."
Niko rolled his eyes, kneeling down to inspect the damage further. It was broken, but the break was clean, something he could easily fix. Reaching out, he closed his left hand over the broken part of the frame and closed his eyes, focusing all his energy and attention on the reparation of the frame. Lucio watched on, silently, his fascination with magic causing his eyes to widen at the sight of it. When Niko finally removed his hand, the frame had been mended, Lucio stood it upright to admire it.
"Love of my life..." He cooed.
"Me or the portrait?" Niko asked, the sarcasm apparent. He brushed his hands together and stood back up as Lucio confirmed that it had been both Niko and the portrait he had been referring to.
"A witch at work, I see."
Tension flooded the room as Niko's shoulders visibly tensed. Lucio whipped his head in the direction of the voice, his eyes casting a deadly look at the origin of the comment. Shifting his weight around, Niko sidled uneasily beside Lucio, pressing himself against his side. Valerius stood at the corner of the hall that Niko had previously rounded, arms folded.
"What do you want, consul?" Lucio had a very distinct tone of superiority that he would use to condescend to those around him. Probably a reason why so many disliked him. This was the tone he was using now, and Niko had to hide a devious grin behind his palm as he watched Valerius shrink back from it. Lucio put his arm around Niko, pulling him tightly to his side, his eyes never leaving Valerius. Sneering and without another word, Valerius stormed off down the hall. As he did, Niko stuck his tongue out at his back.
"Don't be a brat." Lucio chided.
"You like when I'm a brat," Niko responded, peeking up at him with a devilish smirk. Lucio nodded, eyeing his tiny partner with amusement.
"Occasionally." He mused, tilting Niko's face up to fully look at him. He could read the look in Lucio's eyes now. He had the look of a hunter who had just cornered their prey and were about to go in for the kill. It was a hungry, primal look that made Niko weak in the knees. Lucio grinned and scooped him up, carefully tossing him over his shoulder which received no protest from the other party.
"You don't have to worry about Valerius, you know," Niko commented, staring at the canopy above their bed, his hand lazily brushing through Lucio's soft blonde hair.
"Hm?" Lucio inquired.
"He likes to stare, but only you get to—mh!" Niko's sentence was cut short by a moan as Lucio lifted his head from between his thighs, a wide smile on his face.
"I get to do this." He finished for Niko, kissing his inner thigh. Closing his eyes and nodding, Niko tugged at Lucio's hair desperately as Lucio sunk his teeth into his thigh. This drew a sharp gasp from Niko's lips as he quietly pleaded for more. More with Lucio though sometimes wasn't a good thing. Niko almost screamed in pain and pleasure as Lucio bit down hard enough to almost break the skin, his breathing quickened as the room spun for a second. Pain was something Lucio liked to inflict on his partners if they were willing and Niko was willing, but only to certain boundaries which were well known to Lucio. Slowly, he circled his tongue around the mark, sucking gently at the skin to create a small bruise. Various amounts and sizes of these bruises were left all along Niko's thighs, torso, and a few were on the lower part of his neck—the differed in size and darkness, some healing and some painfully fresh.
"Please," Niko begged, his legs squeezing together ever so slightly. Pulling his mouth away, a slight trail of saliva hung between his mouth and Niko's thigh, he put his mouth back in place and licked at the bite once more in a longer than necessary manner which caused Niko to pout at him. He tugged his hair gently, trying to guide Lucio's mouth back to where he wanted it. Conceding to Niko's silent demands, Lucio moved his face back between his thighs and returned to eating him out. His tongue flicking over Niko's clit in the exact way that caused him to moan Lucio's name softly with a tone of desire that made him want to do it again and again. Pressing his face comfortably against Niko's pussy, Lucio continued to slide his tongue against and around Niko's clit, occasionally sliding it inside him causing Niko's hips to jolt up slightly. Hearing him moan and gasp his name along with the begging and pleading for more was something Lucio thoroughly enjoyed.
"Mnn..." Niko balled his fist in Lucio's hair, legs trembling. Lucio knew what that meant so he adjusted himself between Niko's legs, sitting up he maneuvered his left arm from around Niko's thigh and slowly slide one finger inside him, causing Niko to jolt. And grumble.
"Did you have to use that hand?"
Lucio didn't respond, just began pumping his finger in and out of Niko, watching as his expression changed from disgruntled to longing in a matter of seconds. Biting his lip, Niko tilted his hips up towards Lucio eagerly—his desperation clear. Leaning over him, Lucio traced his tongue along the outer shell of Niko's ear, causing him to whine softly.
"Can I cum, sir?" Niko begged, his hands clutching at the bed sheets. A low chuckle escaped Lucio's lips as he locked eyes with Niko, a teasing grin curled across his face.
"No."
Niko whined loudly, pounding his fists against the bed in protest. In response, Lucio pulled his finger out of Niko and looked down at him with a stern gaze. Glancing away from him, Niko could feel the heat in his cheeks increase under Lucio's commanding stare.
"Open your mouth," Lucio ordered, his eyes still fixed on Niko despite his partner's gaze being diverted from his. Slowly, almost coyly, Niko opened his mouth. Still not turning to face Lucio. Grabbing him by the jaw, Lucio pulled Niko's face forward and forced him to look at him as he slid the finger that had previously been inside Niko into his now open mouth. Whatever defiance Niko thought he still had in him vanished as soon as Lucio did that, and he closed his mouth around the golden appendage, his eyes now looking directly into Lucio's. It was an odd sensation to have this finger in his mouth, colder and smoother than Lucio's right hand, but there was no real taste to. Just the taste of Niko's own cum filled his mouth. Gradually, Lucio removed his finger from Niko's mouth. Promptly afterward, he tapped the tip of Niko's nose and made a soft "boop" noise. Niko squinted at him.
"Yes, my pet?"
Niko wiggled out from under Lucio and sat up, grabbing his face and pulling him into a deep, somewhat sloppy kiss. A little taken aback by Niko's sudden aggressiveness, Lucio let out a soft gasp as his mouth was covered. Pulling back very briefly, Niko kept his lips close to Lucio's.
"I need you inside me." He pressed his lips firmly against Lucio's again, pushing his body flush against the blonde's, tugging gently at the hem of his shirt. Very quickly, Lucio removed his shirt while still trying to maintain the kiss to the best of his ability. Soft pleading noises escaped Niko's lips as his fingers tangled in Lucio's hair.
"Please..." He whined against Lucio's lips. On his back now with Lucio's leg between his own, Niko grinded against the silken white fabric, his begging growing more and more insistent as he dug his nails into Lucio's shoulders, slowly dragging him along his chest.
"Gentle," Lucio warned, feeling the nails sink deeper into his chest defiantly. Ignoring the warning, Niko continued scratching at his skin, taking delight in Lucio's soft moans as his legs squeezed around Lucio's thigh. Lucio could feel the material of his pants grow damper as Niko rubbed against him, his wetness permeating the fabric.
"Is this all for me, little lamb?" He asked, hand stroking the sides of Niko's thigh. Nodding, Niko pressed himself against Lucio's thigh firmly, looking more desperate than before. Taking note of this, Lucio—in a painstakingly slow fashion—began unbuttoning his pants, watching Niko squirm with those same hungry eyes as before. His erection was plain to see through his pants and he made no effort to hide it, enjoying the sight of Niko staring unabashedly at his length. Finally removing his pants, Lucio sat between Niko's legs, holding his cock loosely.
"Can I have it?" Niko asked, biting his lip. Rubbing the tip of his cock against Niko's pussy, Lucio looked contemplative. And devious. There was a beat of silence between them, only the sound of Niko's breathing and slick noise of Lucio rubbing against him could be heard between them. Without another word, Lucio grabbed Niko's hips and pulled him towards him, pushing the whole length of his cock deep inside him. This caused the petite man to writhe underneath him, gripping at the sheets tightly, his breathing now shallow and shuddering.
"Already?" Lucio teased as Niko covered his face in embarrassment at the fact that he had cum so quickly. This wasn't unexpected though, he had already been on edge from Lucio's mouth and Lucio had denied him the satisfaction of orgasm. Brushing his thumbs over Niko's hip bones, Lucio tilted his head, that same devious grin still on his face.
"Looks like I'll just have to make you cum again." He licked his lips slowly as he began establishing a rhythm between his and Niko's hips. Soon, Niko was clutching at the sheets, eyes glistening as Lucio fucked him. The entire time Niko had been fervently moaning affirmations, indicating he was wholly enjoying what Lucio was doing. Encouraged, Lucio thrusted faster and harder into Niko, fueled by the sounds of pleasure that his actions elicited. From his position, Lucio moved his right hand down, pressing his thumb against Niko's clit causing him to moan exceptionally loud as Lucio began moving his thumb in slow circles against it.
"Cum inside me," Niko begged, gripping Lucio's wrist tightly to keep it in place, "Please."
There was a slight look of shock on Lucio's face at Niko's request. It was very rare that he would ever let him cum inside, the risk was too high is what he would always say. Which Lucio always respected, he would never do that without Niko's explicit permission. It wasn't long after he made that request that he was crying out again, his body convulsing as he came hard for Lucio. Grunting softly, Lucio thrusted all the way inside Niko before emptying himself inside him, the warm sensation causing Niko to sigh contentedly. Lucio lied on top of him also sighing as Niko nuzzled into his neck. Despite everything, especially the time away from one another, both men could sense the feelings they still harbored for one another. Even if Niko tried to deny it repeatedly.
"Lucio?" Niko asked, eyes closed as he laid nestled in his arms. A noise of acknowledgment rang in his ear and Niko proceeded.
"I love you." He felt Lucio tense underneath him and part of him immediately wished he hadn't said anything. Lucio, after what seemed like an eternity to Niko, let out a soft exhale and moved so he could look at Niko. He reached up, cupping Niko's cheek in his right hand, a gentle expression on his face. Even though his personality could sometimes leave much to be desired, Lucio was very gentle and kind to any of his partners. Nadia and Niko both, he loved them very much. Gently, he kissed Niko's forehead before settling against him again.
"I love you too."